A prince's journey
by ShanMah
Summary: During the year where Vegeta's spaceship is flying towards the Earth, Vegeta is put to an artificial sleep, filled with scenes of his past.


**Disclaimer: **I do not own Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, or Dragon Ball GT (heck, I don't want to own that one XD), neither do I own the characters and etc. You know all that don't you, it's a fanfiction site!

**Rating:** T... I think XD

**Pairing: **None. The story focuses only on Vegeta, and more precisely, on his life as Frieza's warrior before landing on Earth for the first time.

**Timeline:** This occurs during the year that Nappa and Vegeta took to reach planet Earth. It's my take on what the HELL you can do for one year alone in such a small ship, lmao.

**The prince's journey**

"I can't believe they killed Raditz," a very tall and muscular Saiyan said for the hundreth time. "It just won't register in my brain."  
"Very few things can register in your brain, Nappa," the one with spiked hair coldly snapped back. "So I hope you won't mind me telling you that I am not surprised in the slightest."

Nappa scowled, offended by the harsh reply, but did not say anything. Anyone who did not know both of them would be more than legitimate to wonder how come the latter - who was much shorter than his companion - did not fear to use such words, or why the first one didn't hit him for being so disrespectful. After all, from the looks of it, Nappa could lift Vegeta with one arm and break his neck without any effort.

Well...

While it was true that Nappa could indeed lift his fellow Saiyan with one arm, it would not be without the risk of getting one hell of a kick in his sorry face - probably a kick that would send him flying through a few walls. There lied the power, strength and might of the Saiyans: the tallest was not necessarly the strongest. Vegeta was below the average of his race in term of size, _yet_ he was the very symbol of its elite in term of power. For Saiyans, might came with training and potential - Vegeta had received both in much greater amount than Nappa.

And, of course, there were their respective ranks: although the Saiyans had almost been wiped away from the Universe, the mighty Vegeta was _still_ their prince. Nappa had earned respect for being among the elite warriors, but this did not erase Vegeta's royal blood. Nothing could ever wipe away Vegeta's royal status. Their planet had been blown up to pieces many years earlier, and yet Nappa would always respect his prince. He'd always obey to his prince's words, no matter how blatantly disrespectful Vegeta could be to him.

And he'd always _fear_ his prince, too.

"Are you positive we can win?" Nappa asked as they headed for their ships.

The prince glanced at his royal guard - though this was much more like a tradition than an actual need - over his shoulder.

"Is that _doubt_ I hear in your voice, Nappa?" he coldly asked. "If you're too coward to go on that mudball those weaklings call a planet, I'll go on my own."  
"No, I'm coming," Nappa replied. "I'm definitely coming."

About twenty years ago, he had promised King Vegeta that he would always protect his only son. Even though the last thing Prince Vegeta needed was protection, he could not bring himself to break his vow to his fallen king. Wherever Vegeta went, Nappa followed without questions.

"I just wondered," he finished, mumbling.  
"Stop thinking, it does not fit you," Vegeta continued, still cold as ice. "That fool Kakarot is dead, and we would've crushed him _anyway_. Raditz was a low-class warrior, unlike us. All there is left to protect this stupid planet is that Namek and probably some Earthlings. I'm sure even the Saibamen will be able to handle those insects. We'll just kick back and enjoy the show. There is no need to waste energy on flies."

Vegeta sat in his small ship, and some blue-green creature installed him. For long trips such as this one, that was supposed to last for about one year, the travellers were put into sleep and artificially fed - or else they would get bored and hungry out of their damn minds, and bored and hungry Saiyans tend to _destruct_ expensive and fragile technology.

The prince scowled as the ship closed and the invisible sleeping gas started to fill the capsule: when he slept, he never had any dreams. He never slept long enough to have the time to _dream_. This long and artificial sleep, however, was always filled with dreams for Vegeta, and dreams were filled with memories.

And he hated them more than anything else.

* * *

Where the hell was Nappa? He wanted to train, right _now._ Nappa wasn't supposed to go _anywhere_ without telling him - he'd beat the crap out of him for that, when he'd manage to find him. The young Saiyan prince walked down the palace's corridors with his little head very high as he searched for Nappa: he was about four or five years old, and rather short for his age. Yet, every person he met, servant, guest or warrior bowed respectfully as he passed by them. Every time, Vegeta's lips curved into a faint smirk, and he did not even look back at them.

They were _his_ people. _His_ servants, _his_ warriors, _his_ guests. This palace, this planet belonged to _him_. One day, he would be king and they wouldn't just bow as he passed by: they would shudder upon hearing his name, tremble upon hearing his voice.

"-truly need both of you," he heard his father's voice saying behind a half-closed door.

Vegeta frowned. Whatever job his father needed to get done, wasn't he, the prince, his son, the best person to ask?

"Frieza is getting tired of us," the king continued. "Or, should I say, he is getting _scared_ of us. With so many of us gathered here, training and getting stronger, he fears that we will one day rise together, and crush him."  
"He's wise to think that," a long-haired Saiyan teenager said cunningly. "We will, one day. The proud Saiyans will not bow their heads forever."  
"All we have to do is wait until the prince grows up," Nappa continued, crossing his arms. "He will be the strongest of us all."  
"The Legendary Super Saiyan," Raditz said, nodding. "Prince Vegeta shall be the Legendary. With him, we will make Frieza history. He'll be sorry his path ever crossed our race's path."  
"Silence!" the king's voice snapped, and even the young prince grimaced in the corridor.

Whenever his father took this barking voice, this meant _bad_ news for whoever had made him that upset.

"I did not ask you to come here to have your opinions and thoughts about Frieza or my son!"

The king took a deep breath, slowly calming down. Now was not the time to get angry.

"While it is true that all Saiyans could gather behind Vegeta when he gets older to battle Frieza, this is _not_ going to happen."

The three other Saiyans listening at him blinked in shock.

"This is not going to happen," he continued, "Because time is a luxury our race does not have anymore. Frieza will not give us the fifteen or twenty years we need for my child to be strong enough to defeat him. He won't take this risk. I told you, he is getting tired of us. He will get rid of us," the king said, staring at the two warriors with intensity. "_He will kill us all_."

The Saiyan king sighed and sat on his throne.

"We will fight," he said, "We will not run away. Running away and giving up are not part of our race's vocabulary."

Nappa and Raditz both nodded in agreement.

"Is that why you needed us, my king?" Raditz asked. "To prepare for this battle?"  
"No," King Vegeta replied. "I'm giving both of you a much more important duty. You see, I am quite sure Frieza will want to spare Vegeta. He will want him in his army, he will want to watch him carefully as he gets older and stronger. Even Frieza, with his hatred and disdain for the Saiyan race, will not want to waste Vegeta's potential. If he plans on attacking our planet soon, he will make sure to send Vegeta somewhere else while he unleashes his attack upon us."

The king posed, still gazing at his two fellow Saiyans.

"Wherever he goes that day... you will both follow him, at _any_ cost. Should you have to fight your way through, should you have to kill anyone to obey this last order I'm giving you, you _will_ do so. Am I making myself clear?"  
"Yes, your Majesty," they both replied in a simultaneous whisper.

Again, he stared at both of them with his intense dark eyes.

"Life under Frieza's orders will be terrible for him," he said slowly. "Frieza will do anything in his power to break him and bring him down. I want Vegeta to grow up with proud Saiyans around him, and _you_ will both be these Saiyans. Make sure he never forgets who he is, makes sure he becomes the strongest being in the Universe... make sure he is the one to avenge us all."

The two of them bowed respectfully to their king.

"Make sure Frieza dies by the hands of a Saiyan..."

* * *

Frieza sat into his floating-seat with a smirk of content on his dark lips. Finally, these monkeys' planet had been taken care of - and, already, the Universe felt like a better place to be. He had ordered Zarbon and Dodoria to go and fetch Vegeta on the planet he had been sent during the attack, and bring him back to his new lord. Of all Saiyans, Frieza had chosen to spare him, and _only_ him. Such a great potential at such a young age should not be wasted, should it?

Of course it shouldn't.

Moreover, bringing the prince of this so-called warrior race to kneel before him and obey like a good little puppy would be _very _amusing. The Saiyans had been such a pain in his ass for _so_ long, he honestly _deserved_ to have some fun with them. And all of these rumours on Planet Vegeta, stating that he could be the Legendary Super Saiyan... Frieza shuddered, then shook his head. This was nothing but a stupid fairy tales to get those monkeys' brats to sleep. Nothing to worry about, really.

"Lord Frieza," Zarbon said as he kneeled gracefully, imitated by Dodoria - though with far less elegance. "We have come back."

Frieza threw him an irritated glare.

"I can see that," he responded, "But I also notice that you are alone. I asked you to bring me back Prince Vegeta. Where is he? Where's my little monkey?"  
"We _did_ bring Vegeta, my Lord," Zarbon continued respectully. "But he was not alone."

Frieza frowned.

"What do you mean, he wasn't alone? I asked that he should be sent on planet Tothis _alone_. Who disobeyed? Who _dared?!_"  
"None of us, Lord Frieza," the green warrior replied. "Two Saiyans warriors insisted on accompagning him on his trip, and killed whoever opposed before leaving with their prince for planet Tothis. They were enraged and there was no stopping them, according to the only one of our warriors who survived his wounds."  
"Oh _fine_," the purple tyran scowled, "Bring the three of them here."

As Dodoria and Zarbon brought in the throne room the three Saiyans, it was impossible, even for the dumbest person in the Universe, to be unable to guess immediately which one of them was of royal blood. While the oldest and tallest ones seemed worried, nervous and did not even dare lay their dark eyes on Frieza, the smallest and youngest one walked in with his head held very high and his piercing eyes staring at Frieza with absolutely no fear. Frieza smirked in amusement.

"Bow," he carelessly ordered to the three of them, as Zarbon and Dodoria stood next to him, arms crossed.

None of the Saiyans moved a muscle.

"_Bow_," Frieza ordered again, glaring at them.

While Raditz and Nappa reluctantly obeyed, Vegeta remained perfectly still, his arms folded in what would be his signature posture for so long.

"Are you deaf?" he asked to the Saiyan child.  
"Are you stupid?" Vegeta snapped back carelessly.

Dodoria growled as Zarbon chuckled, and took one step towards the prince - a cold look of his master froze the pink, fat warrior.

"Why won't you obey like your fellow monkeys?" Frieza asked with a false soft voice.

Vegeta snorted.

"Princes do not _bow_," he replied, "Nor do they obey."  
"Well, well," Zarbon said, chuckling again. "He's got quite an attitude, has he not, Lord Frieza?"  
"You bet I have, you stupid green thing," Vegeta mumbled.  
"Prince Vegeta," Raditz uttered under his breath, "Perhaps you should indeed listen to-"  
"Oh, shut up," the prince snapped.

The young Saiyan stared at Frieza right into the eyes.

"I am Vegeta, prince of all Saiyans. You do not own me," he said, "Nor do you own my people!"

Frieza chuckled and lifted one finger quickly and gracefully: Vegeta felt a terrible pain going through his whole body, and even though his brain and heart did not want it, he fell on his knees, betrayed by his shaking legs.

"Listen to me, _prince_ Vegeta," the mocking, annoying voice of Frieza whispered into his ear. "King Vegeta is dead - planet Vegeta is dead, crushed by a meteor. I have the three remaining Saiyans here, in my throne room, kneeling before me. Tell me, Vegeta, how can you be a prince if you do not have a _people_ to reign over?"

Frieza raised, looking down at the child. Vegeta's tail was swinging behind him, clearly showing his anger: a meteor? He wasn't a fool, he had heard his father's discussion with Nappa and Raditz. He knew it was a _lie_. Yet he couldn't say anything. What good would it do to him anyway? This wouldn't bring planet Vegeta back.

"From now on, whenever you see me passing by, you bow your head in respect. When you speak to me, you call me _Lord_ Frieza, and you _kneel _in submission. Because from now on, whether you like it or not, you stupid little monkey, your every breath is a _gift_ from _me_."

Vegeta stared at Frieza, his eyes showing all the hatred one's eyes could possibly carry.

"Bring him to his new quarters," he coldly ordered to Dodoria and Zarbon.  
"And the two others? What should we do about them?" Zarbon asked.

Frieza smirked. Neither of them could ever come close to be a strong as Vegeta. But wouldn't breaking down the prince's spirit and pride be ever more fun if it was done in front of others Saiyans?

Of course it would.

"Take them to Vegeta's new quarters too," he finally replied.

Oh, yes. They'd see him on his knees, they'd see him suffer as his arrogance and pride would die. They'd see him forgetting he was of royal blood. He stared at the three Saiyans, smirking with content.

"From now on," he said as his smirk grew bigger, "The three of you belong to me. Never forget it."

* * *

"Prince Vegeta!" Raditz shouted, as he caught the teenage Saiyan before he collapsed on the ground upon entering his quarters. "Nappa, move your fat ass, for fuck's sake!"  
"I'm fine," Vegeta mumbled as Nappa reached for him too.  
"You are not, your Majesty," Nappa replied respectfully, helping Raditz as they laid the badly wounded Saiyan on his bed. "Did Frieza do that?"

Vegeta nodded, and then he coughed. As he did so, deep red blood flew out his mouth. Nappa growled in anger - who did that purple freak thought he was, beating up a royal Saiyan like this? One day, he'd give him a piece of his mind - or, most likely, a good punch in the face. Or, at least, he liked to believe he would do that. Doing so, however, would be a certain death for him, and he would not let down his king and prince like that.

"That fool does not realise," Vegeta said, grimacing in pain at every word. "That fool does not realise how we Saiyans work. He thinks he's making me weaker by hitting me like that... still hasn't figured out that it makes us _stronger_ instead..."  
"One day he will kill you," Raditz said on a negative tone. "You must stop provocking him, Prince Vegeta."  
"Cut the crap," Vegeta scowled, coughing blood yet again.  
"Cut what?" Raditz asked, frowning.  
"This prince-Majesty-Highness bullshit," he replied. "Stop calling me that. I am no prince without a people to reign over."  
"You have us," Nappa replied matter-of-factly.

Vegeta rolled his eyes.

"Two Saiyans reduced to slavery like me is hardly considered a whole people," he coldly replied, "But I'm not surprise you couldn't figure this out by yourself."  
"We will restore our great race once you've killed Frieza," Raditz said stubbornly. "The son of a bitch will never know what hit him when we strike."  
"You're delusional if you think I could ever come _close_ to defeat this beast," Vegeta sneered. "Working for Frieza must've altered your perceptions or messed up with what very little brain you used to have, Raditz."  
"No," Nappa said, opposing his prince for the very first time. "But it certainly got to _your_ head. You're forgetting about the planet you were named after, you're forgetting about your royal blood, and, worst of all, you're losing your _pride_. You are the mighty Vegeta, prince of all Saiyans - Frieza does _not_ own you, Frieza is _not_ using you - you are using him. He is giving you tools to develop your abilities and become stronger every day. Frieza is building his own coffin, digging his own grave. You are not working for him, just merely waiting for the proper day to finally crush him. And that day shall come," he finished, "That day shall come, for you surely are the Legendary Super Saiyan our people has been waiting for."

Vegeta raised half of his body, staring at the one who used to be his royal guard with the utmost interest. Even Raditz seemed sincerly surprised that Nappa had managed to make that much sense, for once.

"You are right," he conceeded after a long silence. "Indeed you are," he continued, laying down on his bed again and closing his eyes. "I will never forget it ever again."

He opened one eye to look at Nappa one last time.

"Thank you," he said before closing that eye again.

One day, he would be the one to destroy the tyran who'd murdered his whole people.

One day.

* * *

The three Saiyans entered the huge, dark room, and kneeled - though reluctantly - before Frieza. Like usual, he was surrounded by Dodoria and Zarbon. Vegeta wondered if they ever did anything else than stand by their master with their arms crossed.

"Your report?" Frieza asked, barely looking at the three of them.  
"We've taken over the planet within three days," Vegeta said, his voice full of hate, but respect as well. "Every civilian and warrior there is dead - you are now free to do whatever you wish with this planet, Lord Frieza."  
"All right," the tyran coldly replied. "Leave, now."

Vegeta flushed with anger and his body trembled: he wanted to stand up and blast the shit out of this vile creature. Every time he bowed, everytime he kneeled, he felt disgusted at himself to the point of feeling like vomitting - one day he'd truly get sick and throw up in front of the purple bastard. Perhaps he'd even get the satisfaction of aiming so well he'd reach him.

But now was not the right time to raise and avenge both his people and himself. He wasn't strong enough.

Not yet.

"Wait a minute," Nappa scowled, "Don't we at least deserve _praise_ for what we've done for you?"  
"Praise?" Frieza repeated. "So you believe you did well, Nappa?"  
"I sure do!"

Frieza chuckled.

"Zarbon," he carelessly said, "How long would you have needed to take down this planet on your own?"  
"One full day would've been more than enough, Lord Frieza," Zarbon replied with poise.  
"You bastard-" Nappa growled.

The tall Saiyan got on his feet and rushed towards the green warrior.

"_Nappa_," Vegeta said, clearly and loudly in his back.

Speaking his name like that was as clear as a full sentence for Nappa: he stopped his violence at once, and kneeled again, his head very low. Frieza glared - though not at Nappa. He glared at Vegeta. One could believe that Frieza would be pleased that Vegeta had stopped Nappa's anger for him: clearly he was not, for he _knew_ what it actually meant.

Even after all these years seeing him bowing, kneeling, and getting beaten up hadn't gotten rid of their respect to the prince of their fallen race. Even so long after their planet's destruction, they would still obey to Vegeta? They would still respect him, they would still see him as their prince, their superior? Saiyans were surely stubborn. This was no good for Frieza: he was supposed to be their only superior, their only master. Vegeta was nothing more than another slave: he had no right to boss the other Saiyans around.

Perhaps he had been wrong to keep them alive. Instead of adding to Vegeta's humiliation by providing a crowd to his dishonour, they were a constant reminder of his royal blood. Perhaps it would've been better if he had killed the two of them from the start. His eyes narrowed.

Had he not known for sure that Saiyans were complete imbeciles, he would believe that King Vegeta had _purposely_ done it.

_Wait a minute_.

His eyes were now two thin slits that stared at the prince with intensity.

_Did you do that, King Vegeta? Did you know, and did you try to outsmart me?_

He barely shook his head and slightly cleared his throat. No, it was impossible. Such an idea could not have come out from one of these monkeys' brain.

"Leave," he ordered, and the Saiyans immediately obeyed.

Nappa and Raditz followed their prince outside, none of them daring to speak.

"Vegeta," Raditz said when they were finally outside.

After so many years fighting together, both him and Nappa had dropped the "prince" thing, calling him only by his name. Vegeta did not mind: he knew that they still acknowledged his royal status no matter what.

"There is something you need to know."  
"Make it quick," he snapped.  
"Our home planet," he said, "Planet Vegeta... was not actually destroyed by a meteor."

Vegeta remained motionless.

"It was destroyed by Frieza," Nappa finished.

The prince's fist closed, yet his voice was careless as he replied:

"I know," he simply replied.  
"You...?"  
"I've known all along," the prince continued, walking away. "Don't you worry. Eventually, he will pay for it."

* * *

The prince's dark eyes opened as a fresh breeze caressed his face. The ships had finally landed, and the flow of dreamed flashback was broken, much to Vegeta's content. He got on his feet and walked out his capsule, imitated by Nappa. A smirk on his lips, the Saiyan glanced up at the sky upon their heads.

Earth.

It seemed beautiful. It was a shame it had to be attacked and controlled by such a freak. As he smirked and kept staring at the blue sky, Vegeta had no idea what he had gotten himself into.

He had no idea that he'd end up living on this mudball. He had no idea that it was here, on this very planet, that he would meet a beautiful Earthling with eyes as blue as the cerulean sky he was looking at - a magnificent creature who would manage to melt the cold mask on his face, someone who would take his heart of stone and turn it into flesh.

He had absolutely no idea.

Because, really... who could've guessed?

**The end:** There you go, a little OS... at first I wanted to introduce these flashback into Addiction, but thought it wouldn't fit very well, and then I wanted to write a multi-chapter fanfic, BUT finally DECIDED that the best idea was an OS, so it would flow better and work better. Hope you guys liked it, please review of course it's always appreciated even for an OS!!


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